1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer material transfer method, which transfers a transfer material to a transfer object using a thermal imaging process, to a shape transfer method, which forms recessed portions in a shape transfer object with a pattern corresponding to protruding portions which have been formed at a mold member, and to a transfer device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A molding method has been proposed in which, in a state in which an infra-red transmissive material is pressed against a plastic, radiation of infra-red rays is effected through the infra-red transmissive material and the plastic is heated by the irradiation of infra-red, whereby a surface shape of the infra-red transmissive material is thermally transferred to the plastic (see, for example, the Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Conference, from the Japan Society of Polymer Processing: “Kakouseikei '02”, Special Session IV-103).
In this molding method, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), for example, is used as a transfer resin on which shape transfer is effected. A material such as zinc selenide or the like, which transmits carbon dioxide-laser light, is provided at a mold contacting one side of this PMMA, and silicon is disposed at a rear side face of the PMMA. In this state, the PMMA can be heated by irradiating a laser beam, and by further application of pressure, the PMMA can be processed to a shape corresponding to a metal mold.
The transfer resin can be instantaneously heated by using a laser beam in this manner, and can be cooled more rapidly than in a conventional heat-pressing process.
Meanwhile, a thermal imaging process which uses laser light (laser beams) has been proposed for forming separation ribs of color filters (“division patterns”), black matrices of liquid crystal display devices and the like (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application (JP-A) No. 2001-130141).
In this proposal, a donor sheet is employed in which a photothermal conversion layer and a transfer layer are provided on a backing material. The transfer layer includes an imaging component which is to be transferred to an image-receiving element. In a state in which the donor sheet and the image-receiving element are superposed, pressure is applied and a laser beam is irradiated onto the photothermal conversion layer. Hence, by fusing of the photothermal conversion layer, the transfer layer is detached from the backing material, and the transfer layer is transferred to the image-receiving element.
Organic light-emitting elements such as organic EL (electroluminescent) elements and the like are available as surface-type light sources such as full-color displays, backlights, illuminating light sources and the like, and array-type light sources for printers and the like. The thermal imaging process can also be employed for producing these organic electroluminescent elements.
An organic light-emitting element is structured by a light-emitting layer and a pair of opposing electrodes sandwiching the light-emitting layer. The light-emitting layer emits light when an electric field is generated between the pair of facing electrodes.
A method has been proposed in which, when such an organic electroluminescent element is to be produced, a donor sheet including an organic thin film and a photothermal conversion layer is employed. The organic thin film is thermally transferred by irradiation of a laser beam at the donor sheet (see, for example, the pamphlet of International Publication No. 00/41893).
Further, a method for producing a color organic display has been proposed in which: thin-walled protrusions whose interiors are hollow are formed at a metallic sheet; an organic electroluminescent light-emitting layer is vapor-deposited on the surface at which these protrusions are formed, such that an organic electroluminescent light-emitting layer is press-attached to a hole transport layer, which has been formed on a transparent conduction film; and, in this state, laser light is selectively irradiated at the protrusion interiors, as a result of which the organic electroluminescent light-emitting layer is transferred to the hole transport layer (See, for example, JP-B No. 2918037).
A shape transfer device which transfers a predetermined shaping to a surface of a continuous web has also been proposed. A stamper roll, at an outer peripheral face of which a mold is formed, is heated by heating means disposed to face the outer peripheral face. A resin original sheet, which is the web, is wound onto the heated stamper roll and pressure is applied thereto, as a result of which an embossed pattern is formed on the resin original sheet (see, for example, JP-A No. 2000-221312).
Further, there are methods for transferring a transfer material to a continuous web, such as a method in which a recording paper to which toner, which is a transfer material, has been applied is sandwiched by a thermal fixing roller and a pressurizing rubber roller. The toner is transferred to the recording paper by carrying out pressuring and heating processes (see, for example, JP-A No. 2001-22210).
In this proposal, an outer peripheral portion of the thermal fixing roller is formed with a translucent or light-transmissible base member, and a heat ray absorption layer is provided at a surface of this translucent base member. The heat ray absorption layer is heated by a halogen lamp disposed inside the heat ray fixing roller.
However, if a photothermal conversion layer, which generates heat when irradiated by a laser beam, is formed at a donor sheet together with a transfer material, there is a problem in that transfer materials which include components that are unfavorable for the photothermal conversion layer cannot be used. Moreover, below a temperature at which the photothermal conversion layer fuses, heat that is applied to the photothermal conversion layer is transmitted to the transfer material, and may break down components of the transfer material. Thus, formation of a photothermal conversion layer at a donor sheet may limit options of the types of transfer materials.
Further, because the laser beam is irradiated at the whole surface of the donor sheet, the temperature of transfer molds, which sandwich and pressurize the donor sheet and an image-receiving element therebetween, is also raised by the heat of this laser beam. In order to remove the donor sheet and the image-receiving element from the molds, it is necessary to cool the donor sheet and the image-receiving element. This causes a delay before the transfer material can be transferred to a subsequent image-receiving element, and is a hindrance to shortening of a transfer cycle.
When transferring a transfer material or shape to a web-form object of transfer, it is not necessarily the case that the transfer of material or transfer of shape has to be carried out over the whole face of the web. In such a case, heating the whole surface of the heating roller is extremely poor in terms of efficiency.
Further, the transfer object may be an item which is subject to thermal deformation when handled in a heated state. Further still, if a rise in temperature occurs before the heating roller faces a subsequent transfer object region, accurate heating control will be difficult. These points also make shortening of the transfer cycle difficult.